Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

7 reviews

rionstorm's review

dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

A really interesting (and bleak) exploration of how we make sense and meaning of ourselves and our role as a Person, and how much of that is situational. The narrator's musings on how time only has meaning and we only really exist when it's in relation to other people really struck a chord with me. 

If you are looking for fast paced or hopeful dystopian fiction you won't like this.

Ending spoilers

Spoiler

Have seen the story described as "a puzzle that refuses to be solved", and I feel that's accurate - but as frustrating as that is, I can respect the authors decision not to explain anything. It sort of places you alongside the narrator and gives you the option to either choose to continue going knowing that there probably won't be a resolution, or give up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Murder, Death, Terminal illness, Infertility, Kidnapping, Confinement, Abandonment, and Suicide

Moderate: Police brutality and Physical abuse

kimberleydawn's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Death, and Confinement

Minor: Grief, Suicide, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Infertility, Physical abuse, Dementia, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, and Cancer

overmonroeville's review

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Violence, Terminal illness, and Confinement

Moderate: Suicide

jkull_10's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infertility, Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicide, and Torture

katypicken's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, and Suicide

blanketenjoyer's review

adventurous dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Confinement

Minor: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Blood, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

norahculbertson's review

challenging emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Suicide

Moderate: Physical abuse and Suicidal thoughts